Bucs crowds thinned out at Raymond James Stadium in '08

Bucs fans saw the empty seats sprinkled throughout the nose bleed and club seat sections of Raymond James Stadium all season. We also saw the single-game ticket ads on Buccaneers.com and in the local newspapers (Well, maybe not the newspapers, since nobody reads them anymore).

Now, a report in the Orlando Sentinel confirms Bucs attendance fell in 2008, just over one percent. That translates to 805 fans per game. So if the average fans spends $150 per game on food, tickets, gear, parking, etc., then the Glazers revenue took a hit of well over $1 million, including preseason games.

Attendance was down leaguewide, according to the report. The numbers come as no surprise, as the NFL is scheduled to layoff over 100 people after the season because of declining revenue. Florida’s plummeting economy likely is the No. 1 factor in the Bucs attendance drop. Consider Miami’s attendance was down over 7 percent, and the Dolphins won their division.

Attendance in ’09 should be interesting in Tampa. Joe guesses the Bucs will fare better. The Bucs have home games against their division rivals, plus against big names like the Cowboys, Packers, Giants and Jets. Tampa Bay has one fewer home game, thanks to the Glazers agreeing to play a “home” against New England in Great Britain.